Derrick Burgess, Brandon Marshall, and the Randy Moss Syndrome

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Many factors conspire to make dealing unhappy players difficult for the teams holding those players contracts, not least of all, the Randy Moss syndrome.

Former Pro Bowl defensive end Derrick Burgess continues his holdout from Oakland Raider training camp accumulating fines to date totaling over $79,000 against the last year of his contract set to pay him as much as NFL&majteam=OAK">$3.5 million in 2009.  Burgess reportedly faces daily fines in excess of $15,800 for refusing to report to camp.

Apparently Burgess is seeking either his release from the Raiders or is hoping the Raiders can negotiate his trade to another team.  Depending on the reports you read Burgess is either unhappy with his contract, unhappy to be on a losing team for the last four years, or both.

While these causes for Burgess’ unhappiness are arguably understandable, his strategy for leaving the Raiders is not, on its face.

Not only is Burgess’ decision not to report costing him good money daily, but it is also driving down his trade value, thus impeding the result he seeks; his eventual move to another team.  Also driving down Burgess’ value are his injury history and declining productivity the last two years.

Burgess, of course is by no means the only NFL player unhappy with his current team. 

Denver Broncos Pro Bowl wide receiver Brandon Marshall is also in the final year of a contract set to pay him over $2.1 million in 2009.  Marshall, it is widely reported, hates Denver, but that hasn’t stopped him from reporting to Broncos training camp and collecting his checks.

However, Marshall’s decision to report does not come without risk to both Marshall and the Broncos in terms of moving Marshall this year.  Marshall reportedly has injured his leg at camp as he is currently not practicing.  Marshall is also returning from offseason hip surgery.

So what are the Raiders and Broncos to do with their unhappy, damaged goods? 

Basically, they have three options: release the players, trade them, or carry them on their rosters and risk the Randy Moss syndrome—in which a player devalues himself so much by his play that his team has no hope of recovering his value in a trade. 

To be clear, let’s revisit the history of the Randy Moss trade from the Oakland Raiders to the New England Patriots.  Essentially, Moss was so unhappy in Oakland he let it affect his play on the field and was accused of using his indifference as a weapon.  Moss tanked so badly in Oakland in 2006 that he drove his trade value into the ground all the while collecting $8 million from the Raiders. 

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